Sustainable Mobility Series: History, Geometry and Urban Mobility

The Office of Energy and Environment and the Center for Automotive Research have partnered to present the Sustainable Mobility Lecture Series. The inaugural lecture will feature Michael Tamor, Ford Motor Company, presenting "History, Geometry and Urban Mobility" on Wednesday, February 25 at 12:00 noon, in Scott Lab, room E100.  Bring your lunch and enjoy this presentation and discussion. Beverages and dessert will be provided.

History, Geometry and Urban Mobility

With ever more stringent emission and fuel economy regulation, concerns for global climate change, huge economic growth in Asia, global urbanization and finite fossil fuel resources, it is easy to believe that personal automobiles are headed for extinction. However, popular assumptions behind such a conclusion are not well supported by fact.

We learn from history and use simple geometry to assess the future of the private car in terms of three factors: want – the emotional desire for the freedoms of automobile ownership; need – the absence of an adequate alternative transportation mode; and ability – the physical viability of private cars in cities of the future. The result is quite surprising. 

Tamor has responsibility for studies of global vehicle usage and future mobility needs, the evolving integration of the stationary and mobile energy economies, and the potential for true commercialization of renewable fuel, as well as direct support to product programs and corporate strategic technology planning. He received his B.S. in Physics from UCLA and his PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.